Theme and message
In this section, we will give you some points and suggestions you can use when you deal with the themes in the text, key message and author’s intention.
The main theme is violence - in schools and among teenagers. This theme is intertwined with issues of child neglect, depression, anxiety and frustration.…
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Violence
School violence in the US manifested through shootings is rather common. In fact, Andy Williams was inspired to act by the previous Columbine shootings: “The weekend before, when Williams began saying that he was going to "pull a Columbine" on Santana High, two of his friends called him a "pussy" and dared him to do it”. (p. 54, ll. 31-32); “It was the worst school shooting in the U.S. since the Columbine massacre two years ago”. (p. 55, ll. 24-27)
Furthermore, the text is about bullying, a form of violence that has both physical and psychological manifestations and consequences:
“"They'd walk up to him and sock him in the face for no reason," she says. "He wouldn't do anything about it." Jennifer Chandler, a freshman, saw the same pa…
